The present invention relates generally to the field of concrete stamping. In particular, the present invention relates to an imprinting pattern mat.
Flooring can be constructed from a single uniform building material such as concrete, or from unique individual building materials such as natural stones or bricks that are bonded together with an adhesive substance, such as mortar. When the flooring is formed from a uniform building material, the surface of the flooring will typically have a smooth surface. By contrast, when the flooring is formed by arranging individual building materials relative to each other and maintaining them in place with an adhesive substance, the surface of the flooring can have a random or textured pattern, which may be more pleasing to the eye.
Although flooring comprised of individual building materials may be desirable, building such flooring is not always a practical option. Constructing flooring made of stone or brick causes structural concerns and is often intensive and requires highly skilled laborers. Specialized equipment and tools may also be required. In addition, the cost of the materials themselves are high, and the cost of the labor involved is likewise high.
A less costly alternative to constructing flooring from individual building materials is to construct flooring using a moldable building material, such as concrete. Using concrete, a simulated stone or brick flooring can be created such that the surface of the flooring looks as though it was built using individual building materials. This can be accomplished by utilizing a system of stamps positioned on the concrete when the concrete is wet. The stamps are created with an inverted texture or impression. The stamps are positioned on the concrete after the concrete is poured and allowed to slightly harden. After the texture or impression of the stamps has been imprinted in the concrete, the stamps are removed and the concrete material hardens to reveal a simulated stone or brick flooring.
Concrete is a particularly suitable material for building simulated stone or brick flooring because it results in a more realistic texture and feel. However, problems are frequently encountered when a stamp is repeated in a continuous structure. The first problem arises due to the manner in which the stamps are arranged next to each other. When individual stamps having generally linear sides are positioned adjacent to one another, it may become possible for the human eye to identify the joint created by the stamps in the finished work. This is particularly true when the shape of the stamp is a simple shape, such as a rectangle. The second problem is the easily recognized repetitiveness from these same stamps being used over and over again on one surface.
Performing a successful simulated stone or brick flooring typically requires quite skillful and experienced installers using several stamps (tools) to create the texture or pattern because of inherent problems due to the design nature of the stamps. Stamps are typically cast at least half of an inch thick with rigid urethane material. Weight restrictions ultimately limit the size of both the stamp and the pattern. Also, because the stamps must fit tightly alongside one another to produce a complete pattern, alignment becomes critical as the stamps are moved and positioned across the concrete. As the installer tamps the stamps into the concrete, the stamps tend to shift, slowing the installation process by producing uneven spacing and formations of excess concrete between the stamps. Due to the size and positioning of the stamps, the concrete may shift and create excess mounds of concrete between the stamps as the textures or imprints are being stamped into the concrete or as the stamps are lifted from the concrete. Rigid tools may also cause unevenness between the stamps because the tamping process is not uniform and one stamp may get driven further into the concrete than a stamp positioned adjacent to it, causing “steps” or “trippers” throughout the completed work. The rigidity of the tools also makes it difficult to deal with obstacles such as walls or other permanent structures that stand up in the installation area. In tight spaces where the rigid tools cannot fit, hand stamping is required, which is a free-hand attempt to match the carefully defined appearance set down by the stamping tool, often resulting in an obvious difference in the finished pattern.
Depending on the size of an installation, a large number of stamps may be needed, driving up the cost and ultimately slowing down the imprinting process. Stamping is also a time-intensive process due to the hardening nature of concrete. Thus, although the concrete may imprint well in the beginning, the sluggish movement of stamping tools can fall behind the hardening of the concrete, rendering poor results at the final end of the installation. This will make the flooring more obviously simulated.
In recent years, an attempt to alleviate these problems by using a flexible texture mat, or seamless mat, has met with reasonable success and has become quite popular. The texture mats imprint only texture, without a pattern, onto the concrete. Once the concrete hardens, simple patterns are scored into the concrete with power saw cutting equipment. However, this process still requires skilled laborers and extensive amounts of time to create textured flooring with patterns. Although attractive, the patterns have limited diversity with regard to the final appearance of the concrete.